Hello, I have just started on my diet and so far I'm doing pretty well. But I have had a few people tell me that I may have to have a tummy tuck once I loose all my weight (296, 5'5) because there will be too much excess skin. Has anyone close to my weight had this problem and if not do you do certain excercises to prevent this from happening. Any comments, suggestions OR ANYTHING you just might want to add would be helpful. Thanks. Tina.

tina, i think it depends on your age to some extent..and maybe if you have had kids?? im not sure..im old, lol..54..had two kids too..so when i lost 130 i really should have gotten one...but since im old, i didnt ....lol..catch 22..i think if you need one when you lose your weight you SHOULD do it!! you deserve it!! you can def try doing crunches..etc..tae bo is great for abs..if you eat as healthy as possible, your skin will be in good condition too...anyway, it will be a wonderful problem to have, right? to have lost so much weight you need a tummy tuck?? go for it!!

This is also an area where your genes come in to play. I've lost 200lbs and am still losing, and according to my doctor, between a combination of both my skins elasticity (an individual thing based on your genes) and the fact that I began weight training at a heavy weight (350lbs), I'm not plaqued with loose skin in my abdominal area. BUT~due to a "genetic thing" I do have 2 pockets of fat at my underarm that I am fiercely working on through heavy focused tricep weight work, but whatever I cannot reduce by the remainder of my weight loss and exercise, is just there! And the women in my family store fat in that area, so hopefully I'll reduce those last pockets of fat with my remaining 30lbs or so to lose, but if not, it may require lipo to suck them fat free.
But almost any surgeon will tell you to lose the weight first, then give yourself 1 year of working out to try correcting the problem through a combo of cardio and resistance training first. If all this fails to improve the results, then surgery may be your only option.
But begin weight training now, and you'll begin strengthening the underlying muscles as you lose weight.
I cannot agree more on Tae Bo, it will do wonders for your body in general. Billy helped erradicate saddlebags I had in record time! Plus, it reshaped my glutes (butt), thighs and waistline.

Donna

Great question, I was wondering about that too. I am 26 and I have lost over 50, and need to lose about 60 more. I really do not like the fact that I may have extra skin, but in losing the 50, I have had no skin problems. I bought some of that skin toning lotion, I had asked my Doc about it, he says it works, but by no means will it tone up extra skin. I have been using it now for 2 weeks, I think it is helping...so maybe you should start using that now and use it along the way.

I heard that after losing an excessive amount of weight that it could take upto a year for your abdomen to regain it's flat shape...I know here in Canada that if you lose a certain amount of weight and if after a year the stomach does not go back to it's normal shape that our medical plan will pay for it...

You should go talk to a plastic surgeon. I did that last year, many of them offer free consultations, or will deduct the cost of the consultation if you get the surgery from them. I paid $40 to talk to a doctor, he spent about 45 minutes with me, then I talked to the finance lady about costs and options, and the counselor about the emotional and physical side of having plastic surgery, and I got to look at all his pictures, picture of clients at 3 days, 3 weeks, 4 months and 1 year after surgery to look at their scars and end results, what to expect...It was well spent, it really gave me a clear picture above and beyond what they show you on those plastic surgery tv shows. After I got all my information (he even had software that would show what my stomach would look like after a tummy tuck and liposuction under "desired conditions" (meaning what it will probably look like, provided there weren't any complications or that all of a sudden my skin didn't heal right, he didn't mess it up, etc). As much as I wanted to book it, I knew it would be best to make sure I was at my goal weight and had kept it there for awhile first. I'm not too far away though, its just about time to go talk to him again!!!
Also be sure that you talk to more than just one doctor, ask lots of questions about where they have the surgery, what the doctor's specialties are, what kind of medications will he prescribe, do they have pain pumps, will you need someone to take care of you and for how long, make sure that someone has gotten you all the answers you need. Good luck!

It also depends on other things.

Make sure you are Drinking plenty of water. Water Helps with the elasticity of the Skin. And also dont lose the weight to fast. Loose Skin is very common with people that lose the Fat Very very quick. the weight comes off so quick that the skin does not have the time to shrink.